The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-24
GREEN SMITHS FRAUDULENT CLAIM.

GREEN SMITHS FRAUDULENT CLAIM
Since Colonel Robertson's official recogni-
ton as Acknowledgements the Green Smith
saying that Smith never claimed to be Lieu
tenant-governor. This is an afterthought
and lie. He and his supporters did claim
that very thing. We cite some evidences of
the fact. IS M. b., correspondent of the
Louisville Courier-Journal during the last
session of the Legislature, and a recognized
Democratic authority, wrote to that paper,
HE [Smith1 said to me last summer at the
Scottsburg convention, Il am the acting Lieu
tenant-governor and entitled to the succession
should there be vacancy in Governor Gray's
Office before the end of his term" y
HE declined to become a candidate for an
Office of which he was the incumbent with
two years yet to serve. He notified the con-
vention he would not surrender the Office
unless he was compelled so to do.
The complaint of Smith in his suit against
Secretary of State Myers found in the Senti-
mel of Dec. 1, 1886, says: 1.-THE plaintiff, as
President of the Senate succeeded
to the discharge of the duties of the office of
Lieutenant-governoro of the State of Indiana.
and is in possession thereof, and lawfully
entitled to discharge the duties of said Office,
as required and provided by the Constitution
and laws Of the State of Indiana, and to re-
ceive the pay, benefits and emoluments of
said office as the same are fixed by law" and
that Robertson ttfalsely assumed that there
was vacancy in said office"
The Sentinel of Dec 9 reported Mr.. Turpie,
ing che had no doubt if Governor Gray
should die to-day, Senator Smith would to-
morrow act as Governor"
The Sentinel of Jan. z, 1887, said: 'To
acknowledgements Smith all honor is DUE"
The Sentinel of Jan. II, 1887, said editorially:
"Mr. Smith yesterday made a statement to
the Senate succintly setting forth his posi-
ton. He tells how he asserted,
Immediately upon the announcement of Gen.
Manson's appointment to the collectorship,
his claim to the Office of Lieutenant-gov-
ernor." It's report of Smiths speech in the
Senate the day before commences as follows
1.-TWO years ago, when I was elected Presi-
dent of the Senate l understood that should
General Manson by any means vacate the
Office of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS / would become
the acting Lieutenant-governor of the State"
The Sentinel of Jan. Is, 1887, reports the
complaint of Smith in his injunction suit
against Robertson. After reciting the abdi-
cation of General Manson it says:
"And because of said vacancy having oc-
Cured in said office of Lieutenant governor
aforesaid, the plaintiff, as President of the
Senate of Indiana aforesaid sue
ceeded to the discharge of the duties of the
Office of Lieutenant governor of the State of
Indiana, and is in possession thereof, and
lawfully entitled to discharge the duties
thereof of said Office, = and to receive
the pay, benefits and emoluments of said Office
as the same are fixed by law. And by reason
of the facts aforesaid the plaintiff is now
rightfully and legally in the possession of said
Office, discharging the duties of the same, and
is lawfully entitled to discharge the duties of
the Office of Lieutenant-gov ernor for said
State of Indiana"
A Washington special to the Louisville
Courier-Journal, copied in the same issue of
the Sentinel says:
"Hon. A. G. Smith is the acting Lieuten--
ton to the presidency of the Indiana Senate"
The Sentinel of May Z, 1887, contains
report of the Kentucky Democratic conven-
ton, in which occurs the following:
Colonel Sherley escorted Hon. Green
Smith to the chair and Senator Hill presented
him to the convention Lieutenant-gov-
ernor Smith, of Indiana"
And as recently as the 18th inst. the Sem
tinel copied from the Courer-Journal an
article concerning Green Smiths reception at
the Lexington barbecue, in which he was
several times spoken of as Governor Smith
This evidence might be multiplied indefinite
ly. Smith and his friends did claim that he
was Lieutenantgovernor. Smith himself
made out voucher for salary as Lieutenant
governor and succeeded in getting two dollars
before the trick was discovered. That sum
thus illegally obtained he still holds. Now
that he has abandoned his claim he should
return the money.